Annette NelsonStarting your day with a few miles run or a cup of freshly-ground coffee? Which way will you go? Well, when in doubt, choose both. Having a cup of coffee after a short run will energize you for the whole day. Running is one of the most affordable and effective types of workout, regardless of your fitness level, age, or sex. All you need to do is make the very first step outside in your new running shoes and slowly enjoy all the benefits you’ll get from it. If you have no plans to run the marathons, 3 miles a day will be an ideal distance.
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What Happens In Your Body During A Run?
Running is a perfect way to improve your physical and mental health. Along with losing extra weight and getting fit, you’ll get rid of annoying and overwhelming thoughts. Let’s have a closer look into the benefits of running.
Fat Burn
Low-intensity running is one of the most efficient cardio exercises to burn fat. But be sure to make it properly. Remember, if you get out of breath while running, you’re probably not working in a fat burn zone. If you increase the intensity of training, your body can’t convert body fat quickly enough into the energy you need and switches to other sources, leaving you with the storage of fat.
Heart Rate Increases
During the run, your heart rate can show you how effective your workout is. As your pace gets faster, so does your heart rate and blood transports more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. While working out, you need to train at 50-80% of your maximum rate. To define the max, use the formula “220-your age”. If your heart rate reaches its maximum, you need to slow down a bit. If it drops lower, speed up. Special heart monitors can help you keep track of it.
Blood Pressure Drops
Blood pressure is a valuable source of information about your health. If it’s too high, it can lead to heart problems; when it’s too low – to fainting and dizziness. Neither variant is suitable for our well-being.
Running is a great aerobic exercise to help prevent hypertension and stabilize your blood pressure.
Energy Levels Increase
Have you ever noticed that runners are more enduring and can perform the activities longer than other athletes? It happens because their body produces higher levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP chemical), which is the source of energy for storage and use at the cellular level.
Lactic Acid Levels Decrease
Our ATP levels increase when we work out strenuously, especially when going up the hill or stairs. When its amount is abundant, the surplus is turned into lactic acid. It helps to lower our body acidity, so our organism functions better. But if the levels are still high, it’s being transported to the liver and turned into glucose – more energy for us again!
What Are The Benefits Of Running 3 Miles A Day?
Running three miles a day is quite an attainable distance for newbies, not too short and not too long. Let’s have a look into all the advantages it gives us:
Strengthens Muscles
Running three miles a day targets seven groups of muscles: hip flexors, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf, abdominal and upper-body muscles. If you keep your regular running routine, you’ll constantly pump up your muscles and tone up your body. A month of proper running will visibly transform your shape and help you lose weight.
Improves Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Cardiorespiratory endurance (cardiovascular endurance) is the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to deliver oxygen to body tissues, helping a person sustain physical activity for longer.
Running minimizes our heart’s workload. As long as runners have stronger hearts, they typically have a lower resting pulse rate and more oxygen intake. As a result, our heart pumps a more considerable amount of blood per beat and performs its job easier.
Burns Calories
Running three miles a day will help you eliminate “just one cup of cappuccino” calories; however, we need to consider your age, height, sex, workout intensity, and body index, including your weight. Burning calories isn’t always about weight loss; it’s about not gaining it.
Reduces Stress/Helps You Sleep Better
What a wonderful feeling you’re going to get after completing your run! You’ve persuaded your inner self to do it, and you won’t feel guilty for skipping your run. You will get a good portion of endorphins, and your day will sparkle with new colors. Just three miles a day, and the transformation is colossal.
Strengthens Bones
Besides helping with weight problems and being a great strength training, running is good at increasing bone density. When we run, our bones need to withstand an impact of intense pressure. To adapt, they become denser, stronger, and more enduring.
Increases Metabolism
Running, being an aerobic exercise, is one of the best ways to boost your metabolism. You start burning more calories for energy, which reduces fat percentage and weight loss in general. There’s also a good and pleasant bonus – even when you don’t work out anymore (1-3 hours after the training), your muscles keep using the energy, burning more calories. Avoid eating fatty and greasy food and dedicate at least a week to healthy nutrition. Choose small portions rather than big ones. You’ll see how this simple process of changing makes your life easier. Running can also save you money on gym membership and super-foods.
Prevents Diseases
It’s proven that running can lower the risks of diabetes, heart problems, and emotionally-triggered diseases. Besides, it improves your overall appearance making your skin silky and smooth.
How Much Weight Can You Lose Running 3 Miles A Day?
It surely depends on factors like weight, speed, age, intensity, etc. On average, you burn about 100 calories per mile. So if you run three miles, you’ll burn about 200 to 300 calories, which is quite solid. The problem appears when you add an extra slice of pizza to your diet because you “earned it,” wiping out all your results and getting back the calories you burn working so hard.
Are There Any Risks Of Running 3 Miles A Day?
Everything we do in this life can become risky if we’re not well-prepared and organized. So, what are our steps to avoid dangerous running and weight loss?
- Initiating any activity, consult a specialist to make sure you have no restrictions.
- If everything is okay, get prepared informationally. Read specialized articles, and get more info about the types of run, speed, clothes, and shoes.
- Check the requirements for a proper running form to avoid sprained ankles, knee pain, and hunched back.
- It’s highly recommended to buy a pair of new running shoes. Otherwise, your desire to lose weight will transform into medical issues with ankles.
- Don’t plunge into activity running the marathons from the first day; try quick walking or jogging instead.
How To Start Running 3 Miles A Day?
So, how do we actually start a regular running routine?
- Break your inner “no way, I can’t do it.” It requires a great deal of persistence to win this fight.
- Set realistic goals. Running 5 miles a day without preparation will definitely bring you negative experiences, loss of motivation, and a lot of emotional eating to survive this stress and humiliation.
- Make a plan. After the first week of walking-jogging-running, analyze your feelings and physical condition and keep adding more to your weekly workout. Make running your habit (it takes 18-30 days to form it) and stick to it. When getting stronger, try running 3 miles a day before and after your working hours to feel what part of the day is more suitable for you.
- Buy a pair of good running shoes. It’s not something to need to save your money on.
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Running 3 Miles A Day
To experience all the benefits of running 3 miles a day transformation, keep in mind the following tips:
Fuel Up Properly
Eat enough food to give your body enough energy. No energy – no strength – exhaustion – loss of motivation, and feeling low. Not to get into this vicious cycle, check your basal metabolic rate, eat nutritious food and keep the balance of calories.
Practice Proper Form
While learning how to run and slowly working on your pace, be aware of some basic rules:
- Look ahead, not down at your feet.
- Shoulders should be pulled back, but relaxed.
- Your hands should be relaxed, don’t clench your fists.
- Have a slight forward lean when running.
- The knees should drive your body forward.
Keep Track Of Your Performance
With the abundance of smartwatches, fitness bands, and applications, you can track every calorie you burn and every step you make. Just choose the ones that are the most reliable.
Get Good Sleep
Without good and proper sleep, you’ll never manage to reach your goals. You’ll get into the vicious cycle mentioned above. Besides, if you’re planning to have a run in the morning, you’ll need enough energy for the whole day ahead. So, sleep, eat and exercise well.
The Bottom Line
So, is running 3 miles a day good for weight loss?
It sure is. After a few weeks of exercising and even a mile a day, you will notice the difference in your appearance and well-being. Apart from having calories burned, you’ll see how your body composition changes in a good way. Be moderate while eating, and learn to keep the balance. In case you feel that there’re some extras on your menu, then you need to burn more calories per day. Devote 30 minutes a day for activities as many times a week as you can to get closer to achieving your goal.
Just by starting walking 1 mile a day, people improve their quality of sleep, reduce anxiety and burn calories. After completing daily 3 miles, you’ll get way more benefits for your body.
Every time you get tired, remember why you started this way and what it means to you. If you have been waiting long to start, then today is the best time to work out. Use our specialized guide to help you move on your new way to a better body. Never expect fast changes or put yourself into unrealistic plans. Between the runs, take some time to rest. This way, you’ll have more strength and energy to move forward.
And remember, you have all our support. Every article contains something helpful. You spend just minutes reading and get a great deal of life-changing information.
Good luck and see you in the next article.
